The media doesn’t hate Tua Tagovailoa, they hate the Miami Dolphins

Tua Tagovailoa is the NFL whipping boy. Anything he does is scrutinized beyond anything Miami Dolphins fans have seen. Swap him for Justin Herbert and Herbert is the guy under fire from the media.

If the Dolphins had drafted Justin Herbert instead of Tua, Tua would be the guy that the Dolphins whiffed on. Scared off due to his injuries. Unable to recognize the talent he had on display at Alabama. Tua would potentially be in Los Angeles and he would have been given control of the team, just like Herbert.

Tua would have the same accuracy, a quality group of wide receivers when they are healthy, and an executive branch and coaching branch that support him. Herbert may have all those things in Miami but we need to face facts, many in the mainstream media hate the Dolphins.

We have seen decades of ESPN analysts rip the Dolphins apart from year to year in favor of the Patriots but Stephen Ross doesn’t make friends either.

Ross has blown many chances over his tenure as the Dolphins owner. He went hard after Jeff Fisher and was left standing with nothing. He took over ownership and watched Bill Parcells walk away within a year. Chased Jim Harbaugh, dealt with a bully scandal, a cocaine scandal, an inability to land top general manager candidates, hire quality coaching, went after Peyton Manning and lost, and of course, dealing with his own cheating scandal.

Since taking over as Dolphins owner, Ross has had far more negative press than positive. Even his RISE initiative was criticized by one of his own players, Kenny Stills.

Naturally, Tua is just another piece on the top of the Dolphins’ cake. Another face to throw shade at because he hasn’t succeeded in anything yet. When Miami made the move to draft him, the focus wasn’t on Tua as much as it was on him being pulled for Ryan Fitzpatrick. It was about Brian Flores and his desire for Deshaun Watson. Has it ever truly been about Tua?

Consider the concussions. Tua has had two, maybe three this year. The media wants you to believe that they are concerned but have said nothing of the two concussions suffered by Kenny Pickett or the other players in the NFL that have suffered more than one this year. No, the vitriol is still focused on the Dolphins.

The NFL and the NFLPA did not investigate the Steelers or anyone else but twice this year they have investigated the Dolphins and Mike McDaniel. Why? Maybe because Stephen Ross cheats. Maybe he doesn’t play by their rules. Or maybe it’s because the media has made it a point to make an example of the Dolphins every time something goes wrong.

If Tua left the Dolphins and signed with any other team, he wouldn’t be under this much scrutiny. In New England, he would be the missing piece. He could walk into Dallas tomorrow and the media will tell you he will take them to a Super Bowl. They are fickle that way.

There are a lot of questions surrounding Tua but no more questions surrounding Pickett or Mac Jones, or any other non-superstar QB. But we don’t hear much about them.